21 Fifth Ave - Day By Day

January 11 Wednesday – On or just after this day at 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam responded to a questionnaire (“Questions Pertaining to Medical Legislation”) sent by Andrew C. Biggs, a “non-Medical physician” sent this day, from Greensboro, N.C. To all but two of the questions Sam either answered “no” or left unanswered. To the other two:

4. In your opinion, are the medical practice laws now in force in some of the states, drawn solely in behalf of the general public? If not, what other purpose do they serve?

January 11 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam declined an invitation from an unidentified man, giving the reason that “I have made all the engagements for this year that I can keep” [MTP].

Sam also sent a telegram to Thomas Bailey Aldrich and Lilian W. Aldrich in Boston: “A happy voyage and a quick return” [MTP].

Clemens’ A.D. for this day involved a Jan. 3 letter from Laura K. Hudson and his reply of Jan. 12 concerning his Dec. 17, 1877 Whittier birthday “debacle” [AMT 1: 260-267].

January 11 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y., after dictating and playing billiards, Sam wrote to daughter Jean in Katonah.  

Dear Jean, I do hope you are feeling happier, by this time, it wrung my heart to see you so disappointed, & I could not help thinking all the time how grieved your mother would have been to see you long for a thing—anything—& have to be denied it. [in a paragraph, Sam encouraged her to see the best in people; that she’d be happier that way]

January 11 Saturday – In the evening Mark Twain was the guest of honor at a Lotos Club Dinner. The New York Times reported the event on Jan. 12, p. 2. Sam was obviously in his element:  

MARK TWAIN NOW AFTER COMPLIMENTS

Says at Lotos Club Dinner He’s Collecting Them as some Others Do Stamps.

——— ——— ———

NAME DISHES FOR HIS WORKS

Author Took a Nap Between Courses Because He Was Going to be Up So Late.

January 12 Thursday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Mr. Twichell has been very interesting in his description of the way that General Sickles lost his leg in the battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Twichell was chaplain in Gen. Sickles’ regiment. / Today Mr. & Mrs. Twichell left” [MTP: TS 37]. Note: Daniel Edgar Sickles (1823-1914), General, NY Congressman, attorney. See AMT 1: 565-6 for more on Sickles.

Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: Miss Harrison deposited $800 in the Manhattan bank credit of Haskard & Co. Horace

January 12 Saturday – The New York Times, p. BR21 ran a short notice of Sam’s new book:

Mark Twain’s Latest.

January 12 Sunday – The New York Times, p.9, reported another event for this evening, where Mark Twain would be in attendance:

INVITED BY NORIDCA.

———

Mark Twain, Dr. Butler, Edison, and Sir Purdon Clarke to be Singer’s Guests.

There will be a veritable herd of social lions at Sherry’s to-night, when Mme. Nordica gives her musicale for more than 400 guests. She has engaged the entire second floor suite for the occasion.

January 13 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “I have lost 2 days of real living owing to my strange headache. Mr. Clemens is still in bed. Gout again. We play cards every evening. Today Mother went to the Customs Office and found there Don Raffaello’s gift to me. A book in a bottle, very realistic” [MTP: TS 37].

January 13 Saturday – At 21 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Sam wrote instructions to Isabel Lyon for John Larkin: “Ask Larkin to appoint next Saturday for the tax office & make it $5,000. I want to write it up” [MTP]. Note: Larkin characterized Larkin as “my friend and attorney.”

January 13 Sunday – Mark Twain’s Plea for setting apart the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln ran on p.8 of the New York Times, “A Lincoln Memorial.”

Sam wrote to Jean Clemens on Jan. 14 of his dinner company for this evening:

January 13 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam replied to the Jan. 12 of  Dorothy Quick:

You are just a dear little Dorothy, & I am ever so glad you are coming Saturday morning. We’ll have a fine holiday together. I wish a person could rent you or buy you, just as he would other choice real estate, then I wouldn’t let you go back any more.

Love & good-night, dear [MTP; MTAq 96].

January 14 Saturday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Trying to catch up the threads lost by that eadache. It is David’s [her nephew] birthday” [MTP: TS 37].

January 14 Monday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Isabel Lyon wrote a letter of introduction from Sam for Finley Peter Dunne to Lyman Beecher Stowe [MTP].

Sam also wrote a letter to daughter Jean. After relating the dinner company for the previous night (see Jan. 13 entry) he wrote:  

Miss Lyon has gone to Redding with John Howells.

That lady did find me in the train, after my pleasant visit to you, but not until we were within 30 minutes of New York.

January 14 Tuesday – After giving several luncheons for his close male friends earlier in the “season,” Sam gave the first of his “Doe Luncheons” on this day, at the suggestion (perhaps urging) of Kate Douglas Riggs. Twelve ladies plus Twain were included in the luncheon, including Riggs, daughter Clara, Isabel Lyon, Geraldine Farrar, Henrietta Barnes Farrar (Mrs. Sidney Farrar), Mrs. Harleston Deacon, Mrs. Frank N. Doubleday, Mrs. Robert Collier, Miss Emily W. Burbank, Dorothea Gilder, Geraldine Farrar, Mrs. Farrar, Ethel Barrymore and Clara Stanchfield [Jan.

January 15 Sunday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Today has been very full of the joy of living. I wrote letters and read some in the morning. Looked out of my window just in time to see dear Mother look up at me on her way home from Church and in the afternoon she came over. Later I played cards with my chief. Some day the penalty for having such perfect living will come [MTP: TS 37]. Note: on Jan. 3, 1933 she added a note to this entry that “No penalty attaches itself to perfect living. No penalties ever attach themselves to joys.”

January 15 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Today when I asked Mr. Clemens why mens’ voices singing in the street at night sound so heartbreakingly sad? Or away out in the country, when you are wakened by the sound of a man singing a common place song in a common place voice, why does that make you aware of all the misery of the world? Mr. Clemens replied, “The man is probably dead drunk, but that doesn’t lessen your heartache.”

January 15 Tuesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam began a letter to Edith Draper in Lancashire, England that he enclosed a photo he signed on Jan. 17: “I will comply with pleasure, dear Mrs Edith. My secretary will choose a photo which will go handily in the mail & I will autograph it. / Indeed I shouldn’t regret it if I were an Englishman—& particularly a Lancashire man / Sincerely…” [MTP]. Note: Lyon remarked about this note on a sheet inserted into her journal: “Here is a proof of the sweet & courteous answer Mr.

January 15 Wednesday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Frances Nunnally.

Where are you, dear? At school? I suppose so, but you haven’t told me.

What I am anxious to know is, can’t you steal a day or two & run up & see us? Miss Lyon & I will go down & board your train at Philadelphia & escort you up. Or, we will go all the way to Baltimore if you prefer. And gladly.

January 16 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: Very busy with much writing to do. Mother came in the afternoon. I went this evening to a Beethoven concert with Francesca and Rosamond—such sweet children. There was a stupid lecture on Beethoven and then 3 beautiful numbers. I met Mrs. Nowell, the one who sketched Mr. Clemens for The Outlook—and some Tuesday I am going up for a dish of tea with her. I had a late game of cards with Mr. Clemens, on my return from the concert [MTP: TS 37]. Note: Kate Rogers Nowell.

January 16 Wednesday – Sam hosted a small party for Helen Keller; George Iles, and Mrs. James Sutherland were also present, Sam autographing his portrait for the latter [MTHHR 577; Jan. 17 from Iles; IVL TS 13 below].

January 16 Thursday – At 21 Fifth Ave, N.Y. Sam wrote to Julia Langdon Loomis (1871- 1948), daughter of Charles J. and Ida Clark Langdon.

Jan 16, I think.

Julie dear, it is 10:30 a.m., & time for the dictating to begin; but it wont for I am half full of whisky—& not yet finished. I have discovered a cold, & this is to break it up; for with my bronchital tendencies I dread a cold  as the Presbyterian burnt child dreads perdition.

January 17 Tuesday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Busy every moment. / (Dublin note—July 7, 1905) Mr. Clemens takes up a novel and begins in the middle and swings along to the finish” [MTP: TS 38]. Note: just why she added this to Jan. 17 is not known. Isabel Lyon’s journal #2: “Today Mr. Clemens sat for several hours in the study. Gout Continues. Miss Harrison sent a check to Mr. Larkin for $841.21 for transfer tax to be paid on Mrs.Clemens’s estate” [MTP TS 2].